Shahid Afridi and Jason Gillespie Question ICC After Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup Exit

Shahid Afridi and Jason Gillespie questioned the ICC after Bangladesh’s removal from the 2026 T20 World Cup, questioning consistency in decision-making.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and former Australia all-rounder Jason Gillespie have questioned the International Cricket Council(ICC) after Bangladesh’s removal from the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Both questioned the consistency of the board’s decision-making.

Bangladesh was removed after the ICC rejected their request to avoid travel to India over security concerns. Discussions continued for more than three weeks without resolution. The ICC then confirmed Scotland as Bangladesh’s replacement in the tournament.

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Afridi pointed to differences in how similar situations were handled previously. He referenced India’s stance during the 2025 Champions Trophy, when security concerns prevented travel to Pakistan. The ICC later permitted India to play matches at a neutral venue in Dubai. Afridi said that Bangladesh’s players and supporters deserve the same consideration.

“As a former international cricketer who has played in Bangladesh and in ICC events, I’m deeply disappointed by the ICC’s inconsistency. It accepted India’s security concerns for not touring Pakistan in 2025, yet appears unwilling to apply the same understanding to Bangladesh. Consistency and fairness are the foundation of global cricket governance. Bangladesh’s players and millions of its fans deserve respect, not mixed standards. The ICC should build bridges, not burn them,” Afridi wrote on the social media platform X.

Jason Gillespie Questions ICC

Jason Gillespie put forward similar concerns, calling for fairness in major tournament decisions. However, his social media post was later deleted.

“Has there been an explanation from the ICC why Bangladesh could not play their games outside of India? From memory, India refused to play Champions Trophy matches in Pakistan and were allowed to play those games outside the country. Can someone make this make sense?” Gillespie had questioned in the deleted post.

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The T20 World Cup 2026 is set to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.